Rotor construction



yz 1944- F. BRECKENRIDGE 0 ROTOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Dee. 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESSES: F: G 1 INVENTOR gf/ FRANK BRECKENRIDGE.

5 ATTORNY May 30, 1944- F. BRECKENRIDGE ROTOR CONSTRUCTION 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21

ATTOR Y FIG. 3.

WITNESSES: @W

Patented May 30, 1944 ROTOR CONSTRUCTION 7 Frank Breckenridge, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufact uringCompany, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 21, 1940, Serial No. 371,102

- 20m (Cl. 68-140) My invention relates to rotor constructions, more particularly to rotors or basket structures of washing and spinning machines and has for an object to provide improved apparatus of this kind.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved washing machine rotor that is-rigid in construction and non-corrosive in operation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide and improved washing machine basket or rotor that maybe provided with a vitreous enamel coating on all of its exposed surfaces. I These and other objects are eifected by my invention as will be apparent from the following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional .view of one form of washing and spirming machine employing a rotor constructed in accordance with my invention:

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section of a portion of tember 22, 1942, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This form of washing and spinning machine includes a tub 10, generally of frusto-eonical configuration and having an access opening, ll formedin the endof the tub ll of relatively large diameter. The access opening ll Arranged within the tub iii is a perforate rotor or basket structure It generally of frusto-conical configuration for receiving the articles to be treated. The basket structure I! is provided with an opening ll in the large end thereof, which opening registers with the opening II in the tub structure It. The basket I: is arranged substan- I closed in my Patent No. 2,296,257. granted Sepby the end wall of the tub of relatively small diameter. The two-speed mechanism i5 forms no part of the present invention so that it has not been shown indetail. Suitable mechanism of this type is disclosed and claimed in the patent of H. E. Edwards, No. 2,284,047, granted May 26. 1942, and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The two-speed mechanism it is driven at substantially constant speed by a pulley l6 and belt ll connected to a motor IS, the latter being carried by a suitable bracket I! supported from the tub structure ill. The variable speed driven element of the two-speed mecha it is defined by a sleeve 2| (see Fig. 2)

Cleaning fluid is admitted to the tube and basket through a conduit 22 and the vitiated fluid is discharged from the tub through an outlet 23 which counicates with the inlet of a pump 24. Passage of fluid from the outlet 23 to the pump 26 is controlled by an electrically-operated valve it.

The tub iii, the basket it and the two-speed mechanism it and the motor it define major 'ele-' ments of a unitary washing and spinning structure which is supported within a casing 26 in any suitable manner. Preferably, the unitary structure issupported by means of a plurality of springs 21a which permit vibrations of the unitary structure relative the casing 26. The

casing 26 is provided with an opening 21 which is a closed by a door 28. the opening 21 afiording access to the door l2 associated with the tub II.

In operating the' apparatus described heretofore, the fabrics to be treated are first disposed is closed by a suitable gasketed, hinged door It. 4o

tially coaxially within the tub II and, in the e'mbodiment which I have chosen to illustrate, the axis of the basket is arranged at an angle of approximately 30 above the horizontal.

Rotation of the basket at relatively low speed of, for example, 501%. P. M. for washing the fabrics and a relatively high speed of approximately 500 R. P.1d, is provided by a two-speedtwo-speed mechanism II is adjusted for its high within the basket I! andthe motor I8 is energized. The two-speed mechanism at ii at this time is adjusted by means (not shown) for eflecting slow speed rotation of the basket I! for cleaning the fabrics. During the cleaning operation. the fabrics are elevated in the body of fluid in the tub II by means of vanes 29 extending inwardly irom the basket and are deposited on a dome 3| whichis defined by a reentrant head portion of the basket i3. The fabrics slide from the dome or head ii and are returned to the water and are again elevated by the vanes 29. when the cleaning operation is completed, the cleaning fluid is removed through the outlet 23 and the speed operation. Subsequent to the draining of the cleaning fluid from the tub It, and while they basket is operating at its relatively low speed,

the fabrics collect on the end around the dome mechanism generally indicated at I! and carried 3|. As the basket I! is accelerated. the fabrics move along the frusto-conical side walls thereof in the region of the basket of relatively large diameter, in which region centrifuging of th fluid from the fabrics is effectively carried out. This methodof cleaning the fabrics, then collecting them in the region of relatively small diameter and finally centrifuging the fabrics in the region of the basket of relatively large diameter is disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 2,296,258, granted September 22, 1942, and assigned'to the assignee of the present application.

During operation, and particularly during the accelerating and centrifuging periods, the basket i3 is subjected to strains caused by uneven distribution of the wet fabrics within the basket. These strains are impartedtothat portion of the basket which defines its support or, in other words, to the re-entrant end wall 3!. The outof-balance forces tend to cause the basket E3 to precess, which movement is resisted by the reentrant end wall structure 3|. That portion of the basket structure which is directly associated with the re-entrant end wall 3! is more clearly shownin Figs. 2 to 4, to'which reference will the hub 36. Prior to the latter operation, a pin 33 is disposed within openings formed in the hub .36 and is maintained in position by the diaphragm 33, a portion of which extends over the ends of the pin 3! as shown in Fig. 2. The pin 3! defines a driving element for the hub 36 as set forth more in detail hereinafter.

During high speed operation, the out-of-balance forces tend to precess the basket about its axis. Any such movement of the basket l3 retative its axis would be about a point adjacent the connection of the basket to the wall 35. Precessing of the basket, or wobbling of the reentrant end wall 3! about the axisis resisted by the wall 36, the central portion of which is connected to the supporting hub 36 at a region thereof spaced from the point about which any precessing or wobbling would occur.

The hub 36 has an opening therein for receiving the driving sleeve 2| of the two-speed mechanism and the latter is provided with radiallyextending slots 38 disposed diametrically of the sleeve 2| for receiving the pin 31. Accordingly, the hub 36 is driven through the pin and slot connection 31-38 by means of the sleeve 2!.

preventing the leakage of water from the tub ID. The driving sleeve 2! is journaled within the twospeed mechanism l5 preferably by means of antifriction bearings, one of which is shown at M.

As is well understood, it is highly desirable that a non-corrosive surface, such as vitreous enamel, be applied to the rotors of the type disclosed herein. In order that substantially every surface of the basket including its supporting walls 33 and 35 are vitreous coated, I provide openings, shown at 65, in the wall 33 preferably adjacent its outer periphery. During the dipping process or when the vitreous coating is applied to the basket structure, the solution enters the space intermediate the walls 35 and as so that the entire surface intermediate these walls is provided with a vitreous coating. Accordingly, all of the connections or joints between the reentrant wall 3| and its supporting wall members 3d and 35 are protected against corrosion in service.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provided an improved rotor for a washing and spinning machine which is of rigid construction and which may be readily coated with a vitreous enamel finish throughout substantially its entire area.

While Lhave shown my invention in but one I form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the The runner 4! is fit and, in this connection, the hub is knurled as shownat 42 for maintaining the runner 4| in position. Leakage of water between the runner II and the hub is prevented by a resilient collar or seal a which is compressed between thesemembers and the 'wall 34.

A water seal 43 of any well understood construction is employed between the runner 4| and the casing of the two-speed mechanism ii for art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Ina washing machine rotor construction, the combination of a basket including a side wall and are-entrant end wall defining a dome within the side wall, a sleeve for supporting the basket and having an end thereof secured to a central portion of the dome, a reinforcing wall member secured adjacent its periphery to an outer portion of the re-entrant end wall, said wall member having an offset portion extending within the re-entrant wall and disposed generally in concentric relation with the re-entrant wall, said wall member having the central portion thereof secured to a portion of the sleeve axially spaced 3 from ,said end thereof, a shaft carrying said sleeve, and a structure for rotatably supporting the shaft, said structure having a portion thereof extending within the offset portion oi said wall member.

2. In a washing machine construction, the

combination of a basket including a side wall axially spaced from said end thereof, a shaft carrying said sleeve, a container for washing fluid enclosing the basket and including a bearing structure for supporting the shaft and a fluid-tight seal associated with the bearing structure and said sleeve and disposed at least in part within the offset portion of the wall member.

FRANK BRECKENRIDGE. 

